BE1025444B1 - Measurement signal device for a physical variable - Google Patents

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a measurement device (100) for a physical quantity, having a sensor connection (101) for obtaining the physical quantity, in order to obtain a measured value (103), a processor (105), which is adapted to the measured value (103) Handling instruction (107) for electronically handling the measurement value (103), wherein the processor (105) is further configured to code the measurement value (103) together with the handling instruction (107) into a graphically representable code (109) and a display (111), which is designed to graphically represent the graphically representable code (109).

Description

Measuring signal device for a physical quantity

The present disclosure relates to a measurement signal device for a physical variable, in particular electrical energy.

A measurement signal device can usually display at least one measurement value on an optical display and update the measurement value in an interval. The at least one measured value can be recordable by a processing unit via a communication interface of the measurement signal device. A disadvantage of this type of measured value acquisition is the increased component expenditure, which may be necessary for the processing unit and / or the communication interface. The detection of the measured value can also be implemented visually by means of a reading by a user of the measuring signal device, the reading of the measured value having the disadvantage of an increased susceptibility to errors.

It is the object of the present disclosure to provide an improved measurement signal device.

This object is solved by the features of the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments are the subject of the dependent claims, the description and the accompanying figures.

The present disclosure is based on the finding that the above object can be achieved by a measurement signal device which provides a measurement value as part of a digital code via a display. The code also has handling instructions relating to the measured value, which can be used by a reading device to process the measured value. The code can be optically represented by the display as a graphic code, in particular as a two-dimensional code, QR code and / or binary code.

As a result, the measured value can be captured efficiently and without errors, for example, by the display of the measuring signal device, in particular with the aid of a camera integrated in the reading device.

BE2017 / 5538

According to a first aspect, the disclosure relates to a measurement signal device for a physical variable, with a sensor connection for providing the physical variable in order to obtain a measured value, to a processor which is designed to assign the measured value a handling instruction for electronically handling the measured value, the processor is further configured to encode the measured value together with the handling instruction in a graphically representable code, and a display which is designed to graphically represent the graphically representable code.

In one embodiment, the measurement signal device comprises a sensor for detecting the physical quantity, the sensor being electrically connected to the sensor connection for providing the physical quantity or being part of the sensor connection. In this way, additional sensors can be connected particularly easily.

In one embodiment, the measurement signal device comprises a communication interface for receiving the physical quantity, the communication interface being electrically connected to the sensor connection for providing the physical quantity. The communication interface can be wired or wireless.

The measurement signal device can convert the physical quantity into a discrete measurement value, which can be provided to the processor in digital form. The measurement signal device can also be designed for the periodic acquisition of the physical quantity, the display of the graphically representable code being updatable by the display each time the physical measurement quantity is acquired. In particular, with each acquisition of the physical quantity, a new graphically representable code can be generated, which can contain the most current measured value. Furthermore, the graphically representable code can have a plurality of measured values, wherein the plurality of measured values can have been detected by the sensor over a specific period of time.

In one embodiment, the handling instruction comprises an instruction for sending the measured value to a network address and / or a network address.

The network address can be a reference to a website, an email address and / or a mobile phone number. The handling instruction can cause the reading to be passed on to a website by a reading device, the

BE2017 / 5538

Measured value can be integrated into the content of the website and the content of the website can be displayed by a display of the reader. The handling instruction can trigger the sending of a message, which comprises at least the measured value, by the reading device. The message can in particular be a text message, which can be sent to a mobile phone number and / or an email address.

The handling instruction can refer to contents which are stored in a network and / or on the reading device. In particular, this content can provide information regarding the functionality, the scope of functions, the configuration options of the measurement signal device and / or the current configuration of the measurement signal device.

Sending the measured value to a network address by the reading device has the advantage that an infrastructure for, in particular, central recording of the measured value can only be provided by the reading device for the period of the recording of the graphically representable code. The infrastructure can in particular be provided by the reading device, which can have a network connection. The device outlay and / or the costs for a central, in particular network-dependent, recording of the physical variable can thus advantageously be reduced.

In one embodiment, the handling instruction also has device information about the measurement signal device, in particular information about the type and / or about the physical unit of the physical quantity.

The device information can provide the specification of the sensor and / or information relating to the detection of the physical measured variable. These can include, for example, a tolerance range of the measured value, an accuracy specification of the measured value, a minimum and / or a maximum value of the physical quantity that can be detected by the sensor, a temporal resolution of the measured value, a period of time for the detection of the physical quantity and / or a format specification of the measured value , This has the advantage that the measured value represents a precise specification of the physical quantity and errors in the processing of the measured value, in particular by the reading device and / or in the interpretation of the measured value

BE2017 / 5538 a user can be avoided. In particular, reading errors and / or conversion errors in the unit of the measured value can be avoided.

In one embodiment, the measurement signal device further comprises a user interface for configuring the handling instruction.

A user can interact with the measurement signal device via the user interface. The processor can be designed to process control commands and / or inputs of the user, which can be entered, for example, via keys, in order to carry out an action and, in particular, to display feedback regarding the control commands and / or the inputs of the user by means of the display.

The user interface can also be an acoustic and / or optical interface of the measurement signal device, so that acoustic and / or optical signals can be detected and processed by the measurement signal device.

Because the handling instructions can be configured, the information provided via the graphically representable code can be adapted to the requirements of a user, so that the measurement signal device can be used universally and the area of application of the measurement signal device can advantageously be enlarged.

In one embodiment, the content, in particular one or more executable functions, of the handling instruction can be entered or configured via the user interface.

This has the advantage that the processing, in particular an evaluation and / or a representation of the measured value, can be configured and can also be changeable via the user interface during operation of the measuring signal device.

In one embodiment, the user interface is a touch-sensitive interface or an input interface or a wireless interface, in particular an RFID interface or an NFC interface.

BE2017 / 5538

By designing the user interface as an electronic interface, the advantage is achieved that the configuration of the measurement signal device, for example, cannot be carried out locally on the measurement signal device, but also remotely, for example from an external data processing device. Furthermore, a particularly predefined configuration can be transmitted to the measurement signal device via the electronic interface. As a result, in particular a plurality of measurement signal devices can be operated with an identical configuration, the occurrence of an error caused by the transmission of the configuration being advantageously reduced by the electronic transmission of the configuration.

In one embodiment, the user interface comprises a haptic control element which is designed to convert a haptic user input into electronic control signals for configuring the handling instruction, the format of the measured value and / or the graphically representable code and to make it available to the processor.

This achieves the advantage that the configuration of the measurement signal device can be carried out directly by the user via the haptic control element on the measurement signal device and / or without any further device expenditure.

In one embodiment, a property of the graphically representable code is configurable via the user interface, and the processor is designed to generate the graphically representable code according to the entered property.

This achieves the advantage that the type of code that can be displayed graphically can be adapted, in particular to the specifications of the reading device. For example, the reading device can be limited to reading out a specific graphically representable code, so that reading out the graphically represented code can be used by adapting the graphically represented code. The format and / or the representation of the code can also be configured.

In addition, the advantage is achieved that the display of the graphically representable code can be adapted to the specifications of the reading device. This adjustment can

BE2017 / 5538 include for example the size, position, color and / or brightness of the graphically representable code and / or the display itself.

In one embodiment, the graphically representable code is a one-dimensional or a two-dimensional and / or a matrix code, in particular a QR code and / or a binary code.

This has the advantage that the graphically representable code can be captured efficiently and with a low reading error rate by a camera. The reading error rate can be scalable in particular through the type of coding. Furthermore, the graphically representable code can have checksums and / or redundant or additional data, so that a faulty detection of the graphically representable code can be determined and / or corrected by the reading device.

The measurement signal device can in particular be designed to generate and display a plurality of different matrix codes, for example QR codes, data matrix codes, maxi codes and / or Aztec codes. Furthermore, one-dimensional binary codes, in particular bar codes, can be generated by the processor and displayed by the display. It may be necessary to change the graphical code used when changing the reading device. An exchange of the measuring signal device does not have to take place additionally, only the configuration of the graphically representable code can be adapted. Furthermore, the measurement signal device can be provided with a new code format via the user interface, so that future, graphically representable codes can also be generated and displayed by the measurement signal device.

In one embodiment, the physical quantity is electrical energy or electrical power.

In one embodiment, the measurement signal device is designed to record a plurality of physical quantities and to process, for example, add up the recorded plurality of physical quantities in order to obtain the measurement value.

BE2017 / 5538

For example, the recorded majority of the physical quantities can be multiplied, summed and / or processed by means of a Fourier transformation. This can be used in particular for detecting an electrical current, an electrical voltage, an electrical power and / or an electrical energy.

This achieves the advantage that the measurement signal device can be used as an energy counter for measuring an electrical energy quantity consumed by a consumer. In particular, the measurement signal device can provide a current fluid and / or energy consumption value and an accumulated fluid and / or energy consumption value.

In one embodiment, the sensor is designed to detect a plurality of physical variables in order to obtain a plurality of measured values. This achieves the advantage that a measurement signal device can be used to record a plurality of physical quantities and / or the same measurement signal device can be used to record different physical quantities at different locations. The plurality of physical quantities can in particular include electromagnetic quantities and / or quantities of the surroundings of the measurement signal device. In particular, the plurality of physical quantities can include a number of the following physical quantities: amount of heat, electrical current, electrical power, electrical voltage, flow velocity of a fluid, temperature, pressure, brightness, air humidity, amount of precipitation, energy consumption, accumulated flow rate of a fluid, electrical energy.

In one embodiment, a number of measured values of the plurality of measured values and / or a plurality of handling instructions for electronic handling of the number of measured values for coding in the graphically representable code can be selected via the user interface. This has the advantage that not only a single measured value, but a plurality of measured values can be recorded and processed by the reading device using the graphically represented code. The measurement signal device can furthermore be designed to provide a plurality of measurement values of a physical quantity, wherein the respective measurement values of the plurality of measurement values can be recorded at different locations. For example

BE2017 / 5538 in the electrical power measurement of a plurality of consumers, one measurement signal device replace a plurality of measurement signal devices.

In one embodiment, the handling instructions and / or the measured value are formed by an alphanumeric character string, the alphanumeric character string being able to be represented graphically by the display.

The graphically representable code represents an efficient form of machine-readable graphical information, so that the graphically representable code can advantageously be used for reading by the electronic reading device in particular. The information contained in the graphically representable code may not be decoded directly and / or not with the aid of additional devices and / or aids by a user viewing the display. It is therefore advantageous to present the measured value and / or the handling instructions additionally and / or alternating with the representation of the graphically representable code as an alphanumeric character string by means of the display. This achieves the advantage that the measured value can be read by the user directly on the measuring signal device.

The alphanumeric string can in particular include the measured value and the physical unit of the measured value. The alphanumeric character string can be updated periodically, in particular with a new acquisition of the physical measured variable. The update interval can be limited to a minimum value in order to facilitate reading by the user.

In one embodiment, the processor is designed to encrypt the measured value and / or the handling instruction and to encode the encrypted measured value and / or the encrypted handling instruction in the graphically representable code.

This has the advantage that, in particular, security-relevant measured values and / or security-relevant handling instructions can be protected against unauthorized access. The format of the graphically representable code used can correspond to an open standard or a generally known specification, so that only the coding of the measured value and / or the handling instructions can only provide reduced protection against unauthorized access to the measured value and / or the handling instructions. Through the

BE2017 / 5538

Encryption, the measuring signal device can be coupled to a specific reading device which is designed to decrypt the encrypted measured value and / or the encrypted handling instruction.

Furthermore, encryption has the advantage that the data contained in the graphically representable code cannot be accessible to the reading device. The reading device can read out the graphically representable code and store the data contained therein, in particular in accordance with the handling instructions, in an internal memory and / or pass them on to the external data processing device. It may therefore be advantageous to encrypt the measured value and to transmit the handling instructions unencrypted by means of the graphically representable code.

In one embodiment, the processor is designed to make the graphically representable code electrically, in particular wirelessly, transferable to a reading device.

The wireless transmission can in particular be a radio transmission which is based on a short-range or long-distance radio standard. In particular, the radio transmission can be realized by a WLAN, Bluetooth, NFC, UMTS, LTE, and / or 5G connection. This has the advantage that larger distances than in the case of an optical detection of the graphically representable code may be possible between the reading device and the measuring signal device. Furthermore, detection by means of radio transmission can make it possible to read the measured value if the display of the measurement signal device is arranged to be optically inaccessible to the optical detection device of the reading device.

According to a second aspect, the disclosure relates to a reading device for reading a code that can be graphically represented by means of a display, which has an indication of a measured value of a physical quantity and a handling instruction for electronic handling of the measured value, with an optical detection device, in particular an image camera, which is designed is to optically detect the graphically representable code, a processor which is designed to decode the graphically representable code in order to obtain the measured value and the handling instruction, the reading device being designed to handle the measured value in accordance with the handling instruction.

BE2017 / 5538

The reading device can in particular be a portable user terminal, in particular a smartphone or tablet. The processor of the reading device can also be designed to execute a software program which reads the graphically representable code from the measurement signal device, decodes the graphically representable code, displays the data contained in the graphically representable code and / or executes the handling instruction. The reading device can have a memory in order to store the measured value and / or the handling instruction.

In one embodiment, the handling instruction has an instruction for sending the measured value via a communication network to a network address, the reading device having a communication interface which is designed to send the measured value to the network address via the communication network, in particular wirelessly or by wire.

The reading device can have a network interface for connection to a wired and / or wireless communication network, in particular a mobile radio network, in order to forward the graphically representable code, the measured value and / or the handling instruction to the external data processing device.

The measuring signal device can generate a discrete measured value at periodic time intervals when the physical quantity is detected, a previously generated measured value no longer being available for integration into the graphically representable code. Within a detection period, the processor can convert the discrete measured value into the graphically representable code with the handling instruction.

Furthermore, the measuring signal device can have a memory in which the measured values of the physical measured variable, which are recorded periodically in particular, can be stored.

Further exemplary embodiments are explained with reference to the attached figures. Show it:

BE2017 / 5538

1 shows a measurement signal device in one embodiment;

Fig. 2 a Measuring signal device and a Readout device in one embodiment; and Fig. 3 a Measuring signal device and a Readout device in one Embodiment. Fig. 1 shows a schematic representation of Measurement signal device 100 for a

physical quantity, with a sensor connection 101 for recording the physical quantity, in order to obtain a measured value 103, a processor 105, which is designed to assign the measured value 103 a handling instruction 107 for electronic handling of the measured value 103, the processor 105 also being designed, to encode the measured value 103 together with the handling instruction 107 in a graphically representable code 109, and a display 111 which is designed to graphically represent the graphically representable code 109.

Furthermore, the measurement signal device 100 comprises a user interface 113 for configuring the handling instruction 107. The user interface 113 is in particular a haptic control element, for example a keyboard, a keypad or a touch-sensitive surface. The user interface 113 can be connected to the display 111 in order to display user input entered via the user interface 113 on the display 111.

The user interface 113 is designed to convert a user input into electronic control signals for configuring the handling instruction 107, the format of the measured value 103 and / or the graphically representable code 109. Furthermore, a property of the graphically representable code 109 can be configured via the user interface 113, the processor 105 being designed to generate the graphically representable code 109 in accordance with the entered property.

In addition to or instead of the haptic control element, an electronic or optical user interface can be provided. A wired or wireless connection between a user terminal and the measurement signal device 100 can be implemented via the electronic or optical user interface

BE2017 / 5538 the user input can be transmitted to the processor 105 via this connection.

The electronic user interface 113 can be a wireless interface, in particular an RFID interface or an NFC interface.

The content, in particular one or more executable functions, of the handling instruction 107 can be entered or configured via the user interface 113.

With the user input, the format and / or the type of the graphically representable code 109, the content of the graphically representable code 109 and / or the representation of the graphically representable code 109 can be configured by the display 111. In this way, device-specific and / or user-specific information and / or functions can be integrated in the graphically represented code 109.

The graphically representable code 109 is a two-dimensional code which is composed of areas of different brightness and / or different colors.

The areas are arranged in a regular grid. The graphically representable code 109 is a matrix code, wherein the matrix code can be a QR code.

In addition to the matrix code, an alphanumeric character string 201 can be shown on the display 111, which contains the measured value 103 and for example an abbreviation and / or a symbol for the physical unit of the measured value 103.

The display 111 is a screen, the number of pixels on the screen corresponding at least to the number of elements of the two-dimensional code 109 in order to completely display the two-dimensional code 109. Furthermore, the color and / or contrast difference between the areas is high enough to be recorded by an external camera, so that the individual areas of the two-dimensional code 109 can be recorded separately.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic illustration of the measurement signal device 100 for a physical quantity, with a display 111 which is designed to graphically display the graphically representable code 109 and with a user interface 113 for configuring the handling instruction. Furthermore, a reading device 200 for reading out a code 109 that can be graphically represented by means of a display 111 is shown. The

BE2017 / 5538 graphically representable code 109 has information about a measured value 103 of a physical quantity and a handling instruction 107 for electronic handling of the measured value 103. The reading device 200 has an optical detection device, in particular an image camera, which is designed to optically detect the graphically representable code 109, and a processor which is designed to decode the graphically represented code 109 in order to measure the measured value 103 and the handling instruction 107 to obtain. The reading device 200 is designed to handle the measured value 103 in accordance with the handling instruction 107.

Furthermore, a method for detecting the graphically representable code 109 by the reader 200 is shown, which detects the graphically representable code 109 with an image camera integrated in the reader 200 and decodes the graphically representable code 109 by means of the processor of the reader 200 in order to obtain the measured value 103 and / or to receive handling instruction 107. The processor of the reading device 200 can be designed to decrypt an encrypted measured value and / or an encrypted handling instruction 107.

The reading device 200 has a display which can represent the graphically representable code 109, the measured value 103 and / or the handling instruction 107. The reading device 200 is a smartphone which enables a message with the measured value 103 to be sent out in accordance with the handling instruction 107 via a wired and / or wireless network, in particular a mobile radio network.

The graphically representable code 109 is a two-dimensional, binary code, in particular a QR code. The two-dimensional, binary code consists of a square matrix of symbol elements. These symbol elements are in particular squares which have a different color and / or brightness and in particular are black or white.

A position marker in each of three of the four corners of the square describes the orientation of the graphically representable code 109. The data contained in the graphically representable code 109, in particular the measured value 103 and the handling instruction 107, can be protected by an error-correcting code. If a part of the graphically representable code 109 is lost,

BE2017 / 5538, for example, of up to 30% of the graphically representable code 109, the data are nevertheless decoded from the graphically representable code 109 without loss. Between the three position marks there is a line consisting of a sequence of alternating bits, which defines the matrix. The symbol elements can be arranged in a square matrix with a width of at least 21 and for example a maximum of 177 symbol elements. An edge zone can be defined which contains no user data and is, for example, at least 4 elements wide. A larger amount of data can be divided into several, for example up to 16 individual, graphically representable codes 109.

The alphanumeric character string 201 can be represented by the display 111 simultaneously or alternately with the graphically representable code 109.

The user interface 113 is formed by four operating elements, which have the designations F1, F2, F3 and F4 and are arranged in a row below the display 111. The control elements can in particular be mechanical, capacitive and / or resistive buttons or switches. The display 111 and the operating elements are arranged in a side face of a housing which contains the sensor connection 101 and the processor 105. The housing can have an electrical connection unit 203 for the power supply of the measurement signal device 100 and / or the electrical feed of a measurement signal to the sensor 101.

3 shows the measurement signal device 100 in one embodiment, which also includes a sensor

102 for detecting the physical quantity, the sensor being electrically connected to the sensor connection 101 for providing the physical quantity. Optionally, a plurality of sensors 102 can be provided for the detection of different physical quantities, which is electrically connected or connectable to the sensor connection 101.

FIG. 3 also shows an element 104, which can be a communication interface, which can replace the sensor or is provided together with the sensor 102 in order to provide the physical variable or a further physical variable. The communication interface 104 can be wired, for example Ethernet, USB, or wireless, for example WLAN.

BE2017 / 5538

However, element 104 can also be a further sensor for detecting a further physical variable.

BE2017 / 5538

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

Measuring signal device

sensor connection

sensor

reading

Communication Interface

processor

handling instructions

Code that can be represented graphically

display

User interface

reader

Alphanumeric string

connection unit

Claims (15)

1. Measuring signal device (100) for a physical quantity, with: a sensor connection (101) for providing the physical quantity in order to obtain a measured value (103); a processor (105), which is designed to assign the measured value (103) a handling instruction (107) for electronic handling of the measured value (103), the processor (105) being further configured to measure the measured value (103) together with the handling instruction ( 107) to encode in a graphically representable code (109); and a display (111) which is designed to graphically display the graphically representable code (109). 2. Measuring signal device (100) according to claim 1, wherein the handling instruction (107) comprises an instruction for sending the measured value (103) to a network address and / or a network address. 3. Measuring signal device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the handling instruction (107) further comprises device information about the measuring signal device (100), in particular an indication of the type and / or the physical unit of the physical quantity. 4. Measuring signal device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising a user interface (113) for configuring the handling instruction (107). 5. Measuring signal device (100) according to claim 4, wherein the content, in particular one or more executable functions, of the handling instruction (107) can be entered or configured via the user interface (113). 6. Measuring signal device (100) according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the user interface (113) is a touch-sensitive interface or an input interface or BE2017 / 5538 wireless interface, in particular an RFID interface or an NFC interface. Measuring signal device (100) according to one of claims 4 to 6, wherein a property of the graphically representable code (109) can be configured via the user interface (113), and wherein the processor (105) is designed to conform to the graphically representable code (109) of the entered property. 8. Measuring signal device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the graphically representable code (109) is a one-dimensional or a two-dimensional and / or a matrix code, in particular a QR code and / or a binary code. 9. Measuring signal device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the physical variable is electrical energy or electrical power. 10. Measurement signal device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, which is designed to record a plurality of physical quantities and to process the recorded plurality of physical quantities in order to obtain the measurement value (103). 11. Measuring signal device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the handling instruction (107) and / or the measured value (103) are formed by an alphanumeric character string (201), the alphanumeric character string (201) by the display (111) graphically can be represented. 12. Measuring signal device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the processor (105) is designed to encrypt the measured value (103) and / or the handling instruction (107) and the encrypted measured value (103) and / or the encrypted handling instruction ( 107) in the graphically representable code (109). 13. Measuring signal device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the processor (105) is designed to provide the graphically representable code (109) electrically, in particular wirelessly, to a reading device (200). BE2017 / 5538 14. Measuring signal device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising a sensor for detecting the physical variable, the sensor being electrically connected to the sensor connection (101) for providing the physical variable, and / or further comprising a communication interface for Receiving the physical quantity, wherein the communication interface is electrically connected to the sensor connection for providing the physical quantity. 15. Reading device (200) for reading out a code (109) which can be graphically represented by means of a display (111), which has an indication of a measured value (103) of a physical quantity, and a handling instruction (107) for the electronic handling of the measured value (103) , With: an optical detection device, in particular an image camera, which is designed to optically detect the graphically representable code (109); a processor which is designed to decode the graphically representable code (109) in order to obtain the measured value (103) and the handling instruction (107); wherein the reading device (200) is designed to handle the measured value (103) in accordance with the handling instruction (107).